


Partner

by Miphan



Series: Connections [4]
Category: DARLING In The FRANXX (Anime)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-18
Updated: 2018-07-18
Packaged: 2019-06-12 09:40:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15337101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miphan/pseuds/Miphan
Summary: At that moment, as the colors of the sea and sky start to differentiate, there is only one thing to say.





	Partner

These past few days climbing on the hill has become her habit.

It's still early dawn. Too early for the others to be awake. The colors of the sky are breathtaking. Red like her hair. Ah, but they are turning grey now. Every morning she discovers more strands of silver in her reflection.

The colors are even more majestic from the top. They spread into the horizon and mirror themselves in the sea. Like two lost lovers, sea and sky reflect each others eyes. They'll be separated as the sun moves further up, but come next dawn she will be here to witness their reunion.

She moves forward and stops in front of the place the statue once stood. The hill looks -feels- empty without it. She feels empty too. Just a bit. She may not have started off well with Zero Two, but-

"Miku!"

She turns around at the sound of her name.

Zorome is there, bent in half as he tries to regain control of his breathing. Did he actually run all the way to the hill? She sighs at the stupidity of her partner -well, ex-partner, they don't use the Franxx anymore- and crosses her hands in front of her chest.

"What are you doing here? Go to sleep! You look awful." And he does. His hair is disheveled. Well, more than usual at least. She can make out the beginnings of black circles under his eyes. "We have to get to work in a few hours." He will collapse if he doesn't rest. How unproductive.

His right eye twitches. She smirks. Waits for the insult that will spark their fight.

What a livid way to start the morning.

Interestingly the insult never comes. Zorome takes a deep breath and closes his eyes for a few moments. He opens them again and stares at her with conviction she has only seen him have before a battle. But there is nothing to win now, is there? In any case, the behavior is so out of her comfort zone that it's concerning.

She needs to leave. Now.

Of course, Zorome chooses that moment to return to his irritating self and grasps her arm as she passes by him. Once again, she turns to look at him and they stare each other down, he with that strange look and she with her disinterested one. It's a competition. A challenge. Something she can deal with.

A few minutes pass before Zorome breaks. He lets her go and sighs, passing a hand through his hair. Clearly things aren't going the way he wants. For some reason she chooses to wait for him to speak. It isn't often that she sees him so uncertain.

He looks at her again and finally opens his mouth. "Look, we are partners and-"

"The Franxx aren't used anymore." She needs to make this clear right now. "We are not partners."

Something akin to anger creeps up on his face. This time he doesn't bother to push it down.

"We are partners!" They are so close now that she can see the different shades of purple in his eyes. "You and I fought together and are going to help build a future. Together! We don't need a robot to define us. Not anymore."

He reaches into his pocket and retrieves a shiny object. The thing is tossed to her and she catches it easily. "Th- This is for you." He is mumbling now and she can tell that the flush on his cheeks isn't from anger.

What a weird way to start the morning.

The object turns out to be a necklace. A pink ornament is hanging from a simple chain. It's cute, but the material seems sturdy. It glistens in the slowly rising sun. She raises her head and looks at Zorome questioningly.

In response, he brings a hand to his neck and pulls a previously unseen chain out. It's the same necklace as the one nestled in her hands.

"I, um, made this for you. Us. Ikuno helped.  
Goro too. It's from Argentea."

Oh. Now she understands.

_We are partners._

Zorome averts his gaze to the sea. Does the absence of that statue affect him too? Does he miss them? Does he see them playing in the ocean just like that day? Silly questions. Of course, he does.

The necklace slips nicely down her hair and settles around her neck. It's made for her. A swell of pride explodes inside her at the realization. Zorome is as startled as she is when she hugs him. He stands frozen for a good few seconds before his hands settle on her lower back.

At that moment, as the colors of the sea and sky start to differentiate, there is only one thing to say.

"Thank you, partner."


End file.
